"Banish the word 'struggle' from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration. We are the ones we have been waiting for." — Hopi elders
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posted by Brandy Sarasvati | July 24, 2009
I have a dream!
How many Boulder peeps have friends in Denver and Vise Verse? Personally I have more friends than I can count in Boulder and I live in Denver. My dream is to build a sustainable community through a "gifting economy" and a Time Bank system. There are already 3 time banks operating in Colorado. You can find all information on this by visiting www.timebanks.org I encourage you to at least familiarize yourself with the way a time bank works by exploring the previous mentioned website.
My goal is to have an additional Time Bank fully operational by the end of this year. There are several expenses involved with starting and operating a Time Bank, most of which I am willing to fund myself to start, all I ask is that the people who want to jump on board with the committee (and I suggest reading the material on http://www.timebanks.org/coordinator.htm to start) will make sure this is something they are truly passionate about. As our Time Bank grows so will the responsibility to the community in order for this to function properly. If you are not usually the type to take a leadership role there are still so many important and vital things each and every person can contribute. (http://www.timebanks.org/neighbor-to-neighbor.htm)
With our tribe and with our love we can change the dream we are experiencing. Money is a thing of the past. A gifting economy is possible with the compassion we posses. For it will only strengthen the bonds of love and trust amongst all of our brothers and sisters. In theses growing times of fear circulating with the whole 2012 theory it is our job as beings of the light to lead the way and no longer seek for help because we are the ones we have been waiting for. Times of struggle are coming to an end as we reach out to one another in an attempt to manifest a blissful existence here on our beautiful Mother Earth. But before the bliss there will be chaos and we will be the READY!
If you are interested in becoming part of the team in a leadership manner please feel free to contact me.
Brandy Sarasvati
Evolver Denver Facilitator
720-447-8172
Comments
I wish I could say...
— Jul 25, 2009
Even though I would like to say that the time bank is something I am excited about, particularly sice reviewing the material, I just can't.
In the form outlined by timebanks.org it looks like it could be helpful in niche situations, but that is about it. With an 'ideal' membership size of 150 participants it is difficult to see how a robust ecosystem could emerge. And, given the kind of restrictions placed on 'Hours' to keep them from being considered taxable really marginalizes their use. And, they seem to do little to address fudamental needs like food and shelter.
Looking at highly succesful models like Ithica Hours, it seems that the broad acceptance of the 'Hours' in these systems has made them de-facto local currencies, exposing it to being valued as such and resulting in it being considered taxable.
Where its use is limited is where you would expect a local currency to be limited. In cases where inputs have to be purchased with U.S. dollars outside of the local currency economy, that portion of the service or product still needs to be paid for with dollars, even if the value added portion is due to a time investment. So, mixed currency can be used in these instances with Ithica Hours plus dollars. And since Ithica Hours is really a de-facto local currency there is more possiblility that locally produced commodities such as food items can be valued almost entirely in Hours.
This would not as likely be the case with true timebank hours, since everything not time related is effectively outside the timebank economy. There is little opprotunity to value locally produced commodities with timebank hours, except for that value added portion resulting from time input. As well, if true tax exempt timebank hours do become widely enough accepted to have a de-facto value associated with them they cease to be purely 'Hours' and become currency just as Ithica Hours have become... hours in name only.
Even though Ithica Hours has become a really effective local currency, that encourages the local economy, it really can not be considered the same as the system promoted by timebank.org
Now, If timebank.org type systems are introduced with the full intention of becoming robust local currencies such as Ithica Hours that is another story. But, sticking with the strict and very limited definition of Hours used in small groups of 150 or so, I just can't see it being much more than an interesting social experiment.
very interesting
— Jul 27, 2009
I see your point but... my vision is different.
I believe the government will fall, I believe the IRS will fall, banks will fall, military will fall. I am not sure the exact vicion because only time will tell but I believe in my soul that we can survive off of purely a gifting economy. I am trying to eliminate the need for anything paper dont you see. We have a right as sentient beings to be fed, clothed and sheltered without the exchange of paper. The compassionate beings of this earth will rise together after all of the chaos and in order to completely get there and not make the same mistakes as we have been making for quite some time now, we must learn to give, share, and love one another without the illusion of value based on US curreny, Ithica dollars, or any other paper exchange.
I watched a documentary called "HOME" last night about the changiing of our planet. Money is such an illusion. There are so many tribes all over the world that are suffering because of the greed and hunger for money. Water wells running dry, crops being abandoned, people are starving and the world is dying because we use more than we need in places like America, China, Dubai, Japan, all of these places which have followed pursuit in draining our Mother Earth of all of the resources it took her billions of years to create!
I understand that we are still living in a time of need for the paper currency here in America but what we percieve as "linear time" is quickening and the world is changing into fourth dimension my friend. The same rules and laws that apply for us now will not apply once the shift has crossed the event horizon. Its our dream to change, everything we have created thus far has been because we have wanted to create it or simply had no choice but to "play the game." I guess you can say that with the social experiement alone the time bank will bring about trust and honor amongst my people. I am not trying to save the world my friend, I am trying to live a peaceful existance with my tribe, my own small community, and between me and Stephinty we know more than 150 people :) All of which posses many talents, some which grow food, others which heal people, all with love and compassionate hearts. I sincerely trust that no matter what happens it will all be ok. There is no end in sight, our souls are infinite and that leaves infinte possiblities.
"We are the Divine Light that shines infinitely."
Brandy Sarasvati
Just what exactly do we value???
— Jul 27, 2009
I too have done a lot of thinking about this lately, starting with the issue of money, and what it really is meant to symbolize. I my opinion, it is really supposed to have been a symbol of value, something that supposedly all of us in the US agreed to as a common measure of value. Money, therefore, was meant to be a means of exchange of value, a source of energy, if you will.
So, it is not about the money, but the value that it is meant to represent. If we remove money, does that solve the underlying issue? Do we have congruence in what we describe as a measure of value? How is time a measure of value? Is that not just another way of measuring with money, as in time=money? Is a Doctor's time more valuable than a mechanics?
So, unless we go to having no expectations in our interactions with other beings, we can have no fair or agreed upon measure of value. I had considered a few other items I considered to be an exchange of value: Knowledge; Information; Inspiration; Motivation; Laughter... These are valuable to me, but they may not be valuable to you...
So, what is the issue we are really trying to address? For me, I think Brandy touched on it... from my perspective, all beings are precious, all moments are golden. So, why do we need to have some sort of exchange of value? Why not give without expectation, and likewise be open to receive without expectation.
Course, in order for this to work, some major catalysts need to be present... perhaps by the end of September we may see those...
Regards,
Bill Koerner
Passion, Purpose, Potential
Are You Living Yours?
Ok, then. Now that I see the
— Jul 27, 2009
Ok, then. Now that I see the plane on which this conversation is taking place... We are not talking about a system of accountancy, but the establishment of an ecology. Weather the mechanism of exchange is paper, book entries, or a digital database we are talking about getting beyond the reduction of value to a single dimension, be it dollars, or a fixed commodity like gold. Weare not trying to be vested in a system that counts even time, as just another convenient proxy for value. I guess I am having a hard time getting past the nuts-and-bolts aspect of the timebank as a means of really surpassing this kind of accountancy. Given the examples we have of timebanks that have become quite large systems of exchange, they just seem to be another layer of the monetary system. In the event of the collapse of an underlying monetary system then, the value of such a timebank would not simply be the method of accountancy, but the interrelationships that have built up within the eclolgy which it serves. The real value of such a system then would be as a tool for participants in the underlying ecology to learn about the needs and resources available. I'm trying to make the translation here, is this a meaningful description of what we would be accomplishing with such a system?
Well, hmmm, interesting questions...
— Jul 27, 2009
Well, I am not sure if that is what the intended direction of the post was. It is something, however, that has been bouncing around my mind for several years. I have entertained the potential future reality where money does not exist, at not least in the manner in which we are used to it.
I have also pondered it because, I believe, we may get to experience that potential future reality very soon. There are many sources I have read and interacted with that indicate the following: The US is already bankrupt, we just fail to admit it. Secondly, the Fed, which has caused this, will NOT be able to make their payments at the end of September to those folks that it owes money to...
So, very interesting questions, and very timely, IMO.
Regards,
Bill Koerner
Passion, Purpose, Potential
Are You Living Yours?
September 2009
— Jul 27, 2009
I take it that the September, 2009 date refers, at least in part, to the $550 billion in central liquidity swaps that the Federal Reserve made in 4Q 2008 that will have to be settled in 4Q 2009.
Possibly...
— Jul 27, 2009
Not sure of the details, but that would sound about right, although I thought it was money they owed to other folks, but perhaps it is expecting to get payments that won't materialize...
Something really shady and huge going on...
Actually, just found out some more details on this... Apparently the Fed borrowed $500 Billion from the European Central banks to hold off on bankruptcy... That money is due in Sept. 2009, and they won't be able to repay...
Regards,
Bill Koerner
Passion, Purpose, Potential
Are You Living Yours?
Yes, it is money that the
— Jul 27, 2009
Yes, it is money that the Fed owes to other folks. These 'central liquidity swaps' are like IOUs, but they are only good for a year before they have to be settled, just another form of debt-as-money. The value represented by the IOUs will come due at the end of 3Q, or September 30, 2009. But, that is only part of the story, it is expected that by then we will owe China about $2 trillion in the form of bonds that they have purchased. I think the timing of the speculated U.S. dollar collapse has to do with the central liquidity swaps coming due, but the severity of the default of debt would largely be in the hands of China if they decided to retire their bonds.
With to G20 nations unwilling to extend further credit this would bankrupt the Fed, and the kind of credit freeze we saw at the first of the year would happen again, only there wouldn't be any injection of capital to unstick things again. This means that shipping companies' manifests can not be paid, and without trucks running supermarket shelves will be empty within about four days, this almost happened last time. We did see people go extra days or weeks without getting paid becuse payroll accounts were effectively frozen, only if it happens again people can expect go without paychecks indefinately.
This could pretty much force the emergence of local currencies to keep commerce flowing at least at the local level, but that could still leave a lot of people out in the cold if they can not find a way ro plug into local economies. It is a daunting prospect to get a substitute means of exchange established beyond small groups of people in such a short period of time.
If this really does happen by the end of September it will force a lot of change to happen quickly for sure. But, how can we really be ready for something like that?
give and receive - a gifting economy is possible and does exist
— Jul 27, 2009
I am a big believer in the coming of a new age. An age where our planet and our spirits ascend. I believe in the fourth dimension, a place where we are opperating with love and compassion.
Like I said I am not sure exactly what will happen but I have had visions of the future much different from what you are talking about. I guess its because I am looking into a completely new world. Call it fantasy but I call it a dream and us humans are capable of creating whatever existance we want. That includes the choice to share and allow everyone to get what they need without exchange of value, be it time or money, just simply understanding that sharing is all that matters now. If you cant invision a world like this that is ok and perhaps 2012 is about creating your own dream and existance and in that case I love my dream. It brings me bliss to have dreams of a world that co-exist with nature and man acting as the one being that we have grown the consciousness to understanding. Once we learn that everything is linked delicately to the synchronicities of life we will understand that abundance for all is possible in a world without money :)
"We are the Divine Light that shines infinitely."
Brandy Sarasvati
Amen Sister!
— Jul 28, 2009
Brandy,
I have no concerns about your vision, for I too envision that type of world. What I am also seeing in this 3rd dimensional realm is that the catalyst to either wake up a bunch of folks, or drive them into fight mode is coming real soon. And so, I wonder, what my role is in trying to assist them in waking up.
I am ready for a world without currency, and thus the notion of not enough. I know of plenty of folks that will be shell-shocked, and our 'jobs' will be difficult, a test, if you will, to see if we can stay centered in the love.
Regards,
Bill Koerner
Passion, Purpose, Potential
Are You Living Yours?
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